Gerald Weston cracks down on birthday parties for LCG members. God forbid if LCG members have a few minutes of joy!
One subject that never seems to go away is that of birthdays. Some in the Church want nothing to do with them, while others engage in festive parties. It is evident from the scriptures that people knew how many years they lived. We know how long Methuselah lived, as well as Abraham, Jacob, and the kings of Israel and Judah. Obviously they were keeping track. However, not once do we read of a birthday party for any of God’s servants. The only places where birthdays appear in the Bible are in relation to heathen rulers. Pharaoh’s birthday celebration resulted in the death of his chief baker (Genesis 40:20–22). Herod’s birthday celebration resulted in the death of John the Baptist (Matthew 14:6–12; Mark 6:21–28). Although birthday parties today seldom end in death or dismemberment (we would hope!), these unflattering examples are the only indisputable birthday celebrations recorded in the Bible.The Encyclopedia Britannica records the following: “As late as 245 Origen … repudiates as sinful the very idea of keeping the birthday of Christ ‘as if he were a king Pharaoh’” (11th ed., article “Christmas”). While Origen was certainly not a true Christian, his comment reveals the attitude of the early Church toward celebrating Christ’s birthday and gives us a clue as to how original Christianity felt about birthdays in general.Yet, some members begin celebrating the birthdays of their children from their first year onward. No child at that age has any idea what is going on, but by the time she is 16 she understands that it is “her day” and she expects a party and presents. Is this a lesson we want to teach? Are we able to understand the difference between marking or recognizing the day of one’s birth and celebrating it in a party atmosphere? Are we able to make wise judgments, based on the word of God? Do we follow the customs of this world, as sheep going to the slaughter? Or can we savor the things of God?
Is Weston going to stop Lil'Jimmy and the rest of the Meredith kids from celebrating birthdays? They've done it for years. LCG members have been doing birthdays for decades
All bull shit reasoning Gerald. You fail to mention angels, choirs, Expensive Magi Gifts and celebrating shepherds spreading the news of Jesus birthday. Why andels only sing to to lonely shepherds and not over all the world does puzzle me however. Of course neither Mark nor John or Paul ever heard of these contradictory birth yarns.
ReplyDeleteI would encourage all liking COG types to celebrate your children. Not doing so will kick your ads in years to come. The Westons have no children
"Not a True Christian??"...So glad to hear that God granted Gerald the ability to discern the heart, pronounce judgement and determine this guy's Eternal standing with the Creator of the Universe and all that Exists. Wonder how many people will know Gerald's name 2,000 years later?
ReplyDeleteI wish my phone could spell
ReplyDeleteIt is about time for Gerald to comment on music. I am sure my county my country and western music would not be christen.
ReplyDeleteHerb revealed the motive for rejecting birthday parties with his 'beware the evils of self esteem.' To bullies like him, members are dirt, deserve to be treated like dirt, and only exist to serve the big people ministers hand and foot.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, the hypocrisy. Herb would go to restaurants with his friends to celebrate his birthdays.
I'm looking forward to celebrating my birthdays in the kingdom.
Way to stick to the important, world-shaking stuff, G.W.!
ReplyDeleteWish you'd met my mom, G.W. No matter what I said after volunteering for Armstrong Slavery, she insisted on continuing to send that birthday money or that new shirt (which I always could use and probably needed).
I realized that I was breaking the Fifth Commandment by not being grateful for what she was trying to do. Sort that one out for me, you stupid ass. Know what else she did? I am certain she prayed EVERY DAY for me to realize what a FALSE, DESTRUCTIVE thing following Armstrong was . . . and I eventually did -- what a GREAT DAY that was!!!!!
What a load of crap! We celebrated two different birthdays while at the Feast in Snowmass this year. My family will continue to celebrate the birthdays of family members and friends. It is time Weston and the church stop meddling in the lives of members and focus on bigger things.
ReplyDeleteAnother display of power by the new hierarchy. I was raised in the WCG in the 60's and never had birthdays. Later on, when I had my own kids, I had celebrations for each of them anyway. I didn't throw huge blow outs, but I wanted them to know that I loved and cherished them, and I knew God did too. Never did get struck by lightening!
ReplyDeleteThere are some of us for whom birthdays have been spoiled permanently, not because of being sin-programmed, but because of the fire being put out, resulting in a state of ambivalence. I actually don't want to commemorate my own birthday, and generally have no memory for those of others. It's a dead spot.
ReplyDeleteEvents with Job's kids and John the Baptist were used to support the forbidding of birthdays during the classic WCG years. Problem is, if bad stuff on special days meant that that burned the day, Passover should actually be a forbidden holy day, too. Why would we show greater respect for John the Baptist than for Jesus?
I think the bottom line is that if there were presents to be given, Herbie wanted all of them diverted to him and his so-called "work". Reality is, this is one of those "leaps to conclusion" resulting in yet another pseudo-doctrine conveniently in ACOG accountants' favor.
BB
I think the BB experience id valid. Others in my experience and some commenting just had an acknowledgemt for the kids anyway and in my case I always went to my schoolmates parties.
ReplyDeleteAnd there is the third way of US WCG interpretation of substituting Americam celebrations with WCG feasts like "christmas presents" for the Feast, Thanksgiving for Night to be much to be observed or whatever that was called, exactonh tithes like rightful government tax, and potluck like settlers or hillbillies.
Nck
Pharaoh’s birthday celebration resulted in the death of his chief baker (Genesis 40:20–22). Herod’s birthday celebration resulted in the death of John the Baptist (Matthew 14:6–12; Mark 6:21–28).
ReplyDeleteSo, why just cancel birthday celebrations. Why not prohibit drinking and eating together?
Whenever the birthday ban is intensified, I remember HWA's pride in Haile Selassie sending him a birthday greeting telegram, apparently his last important act before being arrested and executed.
ReplyDeleteDidn't HWA have a big cover story on the PT magazine that celebrated the 50th "birthday" of the magazine or "Work"? Perhaps if you are a member of the LCG you can celebrate the anniversary of your loved one's birth.
ReplyDeleteAdd to that I remember when LCG made a big fuss about their twelve anniversary of their work as they called it,I think they even had a mini museum showcasing their progress through the years.
DeleteLet me get this straight. Origen, a "falsely so-called Christian" of "Satan's great counterfeit false church", was magically right somehow on this point? Seems like a poor citation to employ.
ReplyDeleteThe Bible also does not mention TV, radio, the internet, automobiles, freeways, flashlights, books, magazines, etc. Since the Bible doesn't mention them, it is obvious you should not have them or use them. Some church members, ministers have killed people, using Mr. Weston's logic church would be evil.
ReplyDeleteWeston wrote:
ReplyDeleteWhile Origen was certainly not a true Christian, his comment reveals the attitude of the early Church toward celebrating Christ’s birthday and gives us a clue as to how original Christianity felt about birthdays in general
MY COMMENT--- Well, if Origen was not a true Christian, then who the heck cares what his opinion about "Christian Customs" were, or that they have any reflection on what original Christianity felt about birthdays. The dichotomy in his statement is glaring!
When I was in the WCG/GCI we let our kids celebrate birthdays and now my wife and I are in the Church Of God (7TH Day) we let our grandkids celebrate their birthdays. Screw Gerald Weston! He doesn't dictate God's church!!
ReplyDeleteWell, it cannot be denied that birthdays originated in pagan religions in Egypt. As I recall, your soul was said to be reincarnated on your birthday. I can see why christian churches might have an issue with that, although that does not mean that birthdays are inherently evil. But the Old Testament was extremely insular, or shall we say Jewish, needless to say, and as such all the Gentiles were viewed with extreme suspicion and distrust and looked down on with utter contempt, as the religious Jews still to today, and Talmudic Jews even more so. The COGs are too tied to Judaism, which is their main problem, and why they are cultic and intolerant of other views.
ReplyDeleteWell, if you don't celebrate birthday's. Just think of the EXTRA CASH that could be sent in I bet that is the the real reason.
ReplyDeleteAnon 5:53. How do you know where birthday celebrations began? I think they go back to when humans first began to mark time in yearly cycles. Of course, I have to give to you in that there was no Christianity, as we know it, until a few centuries ago and there was no Judaism as it's practiced today until after the return from Babylon. So, birthday celebrations preceded both rather recent innovations on the religious scene.
ReplyDeleteAllen C. Dexter
there is evidence that the first day of the Feast is actually Christs birthday...
ReplyDeleteI remember when HWA and all of us violently objected to cult analyzers true statement that our religion was a carefully crafted and plagiarized combination of SDA, JW and Mormon doctrines. Of course, he maintained and we believed that he was led to all those things by god's specific calling.
ReplyDeleteI've wised up since then, and the analyzers were totally right. Of course, the British Isrealism was from a different source, but none of what Herbie taught was original. He stole every sensational and extreme teaching he could to create his special blend of insanity. It's amazing how he managed to pull it off. You gotta hand it to him. He was a super salesman.
Allen C. Dexter
Allen C. Dexter
there is evidence that the first day of the feast of tabernacles is also Christs actual birthday...
ReplyDeleteCare to share? Nothing wrong with a little peer review, n'est ce pas?
DeleteBB
http://www.jewishrootsofchristianity.ca/jesus-born-at-sukkot-festival-of-booths/
DeleteI've personally been to numerous Meredith family birthday parties. Cakes, presents, games and all.
ReplyDeleteGod says not to add to or take away from His Word. Pretty sure this church ordered decree to cease all bday celebrations qualifies as "adding to"
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 11:41 AM wrote:
ReplyDeleteI've personally been to numerous Meredith family birthday parties. Cakes, presents, games and all.
Who cares? Rod Meredith was God's man and was allowed to do whatever he wanted, including handing the reigns of power to Gerald Weston. Now Gerald Weston has the power and can contradict Meredith all he wants.
Some observers may point out that Rod Meredith had no spiritual office to pass on to Gerald Weston. Such observers may point out that it is God, not any man, who determines the human head of his church. If Rod Meredith as the leader could automatically make Gerald Weston the new leader, then HWA fans need to be in Joe Tkach Jr.'s church today. If, however, we must judge by fruits, what are the fruits of a boot-licking yes-man like Weston who enabled Rod Meredith for so many years?
Ridiculous to say the least
ReplyDeleteWHY celebrate a birthday on a pagan calendar made by a POPE anyway? THAT in itself is wrong. I gave birth to 2 children at home over 40 years ago, and know how they are today - they know I've always loved them, but I personally was born on a new moon according TO THE MOON! I have no good reason to look back to that date. I look FORWARD to the Kingdom of God, and don't like looking BACK at all the errors in church doctrine either! Doctrine is from the LAW of God, and it behooves God's people to study the LAW so they don't keep SINNING OVER AND OVER habitually crucifying Christ again and again: it's ABOUT TIME to iron out ALL the wrinkles! When EVER in modern times did a MINISTER have the WHOLE LAW (Penteteuch) read at ANY Feast of Tabernacles, let alone the "solemn" seventh year, as God commanded, even to the "latter days" now when we have "utterly corrupted ourselves" like Moses said?
ReplyDelete